Harvard Book Store welcomes Robert B. Reich―former Secretary of Labor under Bill Clinton, and author of eighteen books, including The Work of Nations, and the bestsellers The Common Good, Saving Capitalism, and Locked in the Cabinet―for a discussion of his memoir Coming Up Short: A Memoir of My America. He will be joined in conversation by Richard Parker―professor at the Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government, co-founder of the magazine Mother Jones, award-winning biographer, and former advisor to Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou during the Great Recession.

This event will feature American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation. For those who need it, there will be reserved seating in the front rows for the best view of the interpreters.

Ticketing

There are three ticket options for this event.

1. VIP Ticket: Includes admission for one and one hardcover copy of Coming Up Short, pre-signed by Robert B. Reich. Note, we only have a limited number of VIP tickets that include a signed copy of the book.

2. General Admission Book-Included Ticket: Includes admission for one and one hardcover copy of Coming Up Short.

3. Admission-Only Ticket: Includes admission for one.

Note: Books bundled with tickets may only be picked up at the venue the night of the event, and cannot be picked up in-store beforehand. Ticket holders who purchased a book-included ticket and are unable to attend the event will be able to pick up their book at Harvard Book Store up to 30 days following the event. This offer expires after 30 days. Please note we cannot guarantee signed copies will be available to ticket holders who do not attend the event.

About Coming Up Short

From political economist, cabinet member, beloved professor, media presence, and bestselling author of Saving Capitalism and The Common Good, a deeply felt, compelling memoir of growing up in a baby-boom America that made progress in certain areas, fell short in so many important ways, and still has lots of work to do.

A thought-provoking, principled, clear-eyed chronicle of the culture, politics, and economic choices that have landed us where we are today—with irresponsible economic bullies and corporations with immense wealth and lobbying power on top, demagogues on the rise, and increasing inequality fueling anger and hatred across the country.Nine months after World War II, Robert Reich was born into a united America with a bright future—which went unrealized for so many as big money took over our democracy. His encounter with school bullies on account of his height—4'11" as an adult—set him on a determined path to spend his life fighting American bullies of every sort. He recounts the death of a friend in the civil rights movement; his political coming of age witnessing the Berkeley free speech movement; working for Bobby Kennedy and Senator Eugene McCarthy; experiencing a country torn apart by the Vietnam War; meeting Hillary Rodham in college, Bill Clinton at Oxford, and Clarence Thomas at Yale Law. He details his friendship with John Kenneth Galbraith during his time teaching at Harvard, and subsequent friendships with Bernie Sanders and Ted Kennedy; and his efforts as labor secretary for Clinton and economic advisor to Barack Obama. Ultimately, Reich asks: What did his generation accomplish? Did they make America better, more inclusive, more tolerant? Did they strengthen democracy? Or did they come up short?Reich hardly abandons us to despair over a doomed democracy. With characteristic spirit and humor, he lays out how we can reclaim a sense of community and a democratic capitalism based on the American ideals we still have the power to salvage.

Bios

Robert B. Reich recently retired as Chancellor’s Professor of Public Policy at the University of California, Berkeley. He has served in three presidential administrations, Republican and Democrat, as Secretary of Labor under Bill Clinton, and has written eighteen books, including The Work of Nations (translated into twenty-two languages) and the bestsellers The Common Good, Saving Capitalism, and Locked in the Cabinet. His articles have appeared in The New Yorker, The Atlantic, The New York Times, The Washington Post, and The Wall Street Journal. He is a columnist for Newsweek and The Guardian, and writes a daily newsletter at https://robertreich.substack.com/. He is co-creator of the award-winning film Inequality for All and the Netflix original Saving Capitalism, and co-founder of Inequality Media. He lives in Berkeley.

Richard Parker has taught for over 30 years at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government. He also co-founded the magazine Mother Jones, is the award-winning biographer of economist John Kenneth Galbraith, and served with Joseph Stiglitz as economic advisor to Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou during the Great Recession. He also built environmental group Greenpeace from 2,000 supporters to 650,000; helped Norman Lear launch People for the American Way; and worked for Sens. George McGovern and Edward Kennedy. He serves on several boards, including The Nation magazine and the anti-gun-violence group March for Our Lives. He and Robert Reich have been friends for more than 60 years.

Masking Policy

Masks are encouraged but not required for this event.

Ticket sales have ended

Robert B. Reich at First Parish Church